The Benefits of Being MWLBE-Certified

The SCA's Mentor Program provides qualified and certified MWLBEs with training and opportunities to work on SCA projects.

• To learn more about the SCA's Mentor Programs, click the following link: SCA Mentor Programs.

For firms that do not qualify for the Mentor Program, the SCA makes other provisions to encourage MWLBE participation on its contracts. For its construction projects, the SCA stipulates that contractors demonstrate a good faith effort to subcontract 20 percent of the work to an MWBE firms and 10 percent to LBEs. On personal services contracts, one of the evaluation criteria is the extent to which a consultant firm uses MWLBEs, either as subconsultants or as joint venture (JV) partners. Firms not engaged in construction are not eligible for LBE certification. 

Requirements for Certifying as an MWBE

To be certified as a minority or woman-owned business enterprise, a business must:

• Be in operation for at least one (1) year;
• Operate in New York or possess a license issued by New York City; 
• At minimum be 51 percent owned, operated and controlled by a woman or a member of an ethnic minority group;
• Existing business whose ownership and control has been transferred to minorities or women must be in the control of the minorities/women a minimum of one year prior to applying for certification.  

To complete the online certification application, click the following link: Certification Application.

Requirements for Certifying as a LBE

In order to be certified as a locally based enterprise, a company must:

• Be in operation for at least one year;
• Be in the general contracting business, the heavy construction business, the mechanical and electrical business or specialty construction activities such as painting, landscaping, fencing, fire proofing, etc.; 
• Derive 25 percent or more of its gross receipts from business conducted in economically disadvantaged areas (as defined by the NYC Department of City Planning) within NYC; or 
• Hire veterans and/or welfare recipients to comprise at least 25 percent of their workforce; and 
• Have average annual gross receipts of under $2.167 million for all construction and construction-related work during the past three years.

In order to establish these minimum requirements and provide other required information, MWLBE businesses should complete online, the certification application and provide all supporting documentation, i.e., ownership records, stock certificates and tax returns.

To complete the online certification application, click Certification Application.